Taken
by RandomAbadon
Summary: The Clone Wars rage on, and things have been getting dangrous for the Jedi-now more then ever. Epescially since padawans have been disapering. Rating may change possilbe apprence of Zach my OC from another story UPDATE: yes Zach is going to be in it
1. Prolouge

**Hey guys! Zany here! I finally got another regular story up and running! This is the Prologue(did I spell that right?) so I hope you enjoy! I promise I'll try to get chapter 1 up ASAP since this doesn't explaine _anything _it just does what it's suppose to and that's make you _want_ to read the first chapter (I hope anyway! *worried*) Anyway, enjoy! **

**Zach: Zany doesn't own anything!**

**Zany: That's_ IT_! _WHAT_ did I _TELL_ you about comming into the author's note! You're not even _IN_ this story! Shoo! Shoo!**

**Zach: Aww, please? I'll stop bugging you if you let me in another story! Please!**

**Zany:....FINE!..No promises though! But ONLY because some people from the last story you were in _liked_ you!**

**Zach: Thanks!**

**Zany: Aw crap now I have to deal with my unstable OC who's not even supposed to BE here!**

**No the clone trooper here is not going to be a part of the story I just randomly hit the number keys and added a dash, no he doesn't have a nickname that I'm aware of, and no I don't know what his hair looks like.**

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Entry 95

This holo-journal belongs to clone trooper 1482-579

Year: 22BBY

The war is getting worse, it's been months since I joined Skywalker and the Five-'o-first. At first we didn't know how long this war would last but for all the battles we win it doesn't seem to get any better. A few weeks ago, we got a new kid on the team. Not a shiny though, it seems Skywalker has got himself a padawan. She's nice, a little too curious at times, but usually not much trouble, as long as I get to do what I do best the Jedi's affairs make no difference to me. I just want to see the Republic win this war and when we do I want to be on the front lines to see it. Recently though something's been up I know that for a fact. I've been in the war room when Skywalker contacts the Jedi, I know things. It seems that the Jedi are in real trouble, padawans have been disappearing. Now that he has a padawan himself it's beginning to put Skywalker on edge. He only talks about it with the council when Ahsoka's resting and for the past week he hasn't allowed her to split up with him without taking at least five troops with her. Kid's going to find out sooner or later especially with the way General Skywalker's been acting. I just hope nothin happens to her, she's a good kid, and it would just_ kill_ Skywalker. I just hope the Jedi can sort this out soon, we have a war to win.

End of Entry


	2. Barriss

**You know the only thing that bugged me while writing this is the sheer number of times I have to use the words Taken, or Captured I mean gosh I feel like I'm disrespecting my own title by just useing them in every chapter, ah well it's the nature of the story I suppose. Anyway sorry for the long wait I was procrastinating, and I had a bit of writers block, and my brother wouldn't let me use the computer, after all of that the chapter is still whimpy and short (NOOOOOOOOO!) I will-in the future try to avoid this, I am sorry. Anyway you've all waited long enough, let's get the story on the move!**

**Taken Chapter 1**

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It was late, Anakin stood near the holo-projector he had just finished giving his report to the council. Ahsoka was resting in her room. A few clones were stationed around the ship, but most were in the mess or in the barracks. The atmosphere was so normal, so calm…

"Masters.." Anakin glanced at the three remaining images of Mace Windu, Plo Koon, and Master Yoda. "Has anything else happened with the, you know..." Plo's face creased into a frown. He glanced at Yoda with a pained expression on his face.

"Skywalker...Another padawan was taken...It was Barriss, I know she and padawan Tano are friends." Plo said.

"Yes, does your padawan know what's going on Skywalker? If not now would be the time to tell her." Mace crossed his arms over his chest frowning at Anakin.

"I know." Anakin whispered, so Plo and Mace was saying he was going to have to tell Ahsoka about what had been happening, for weeks padawans have been going missing...They didn't know who was taking them or, why only one thing was certain, that whoever was doing it had something against the Jedi order. He didn't want to worry her-at least anymore than he had been worried...

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Ahsoka stared at the ceiling, she rolled over and stared at the wall. It didn't help, she couldn't sleep no matter how much she needed it. She sensed something, and it was bugging at her. Just when she was about to give up on sleeping and walk around or maybe go find her master or Rex, her master walked in. He looked worried and sat down on her bunk. _Uh Oh, Skyguy _never_ looks this worried, I wonder what happened. _

"Ahsoka," He hesitated speaking softly, Ahsoka sat up listening something _had_ happened she could sense it. "For the past few weeks, um padawans have been going missing. The Council believes they were captured." Ahsoka's eyes went wide.

"_What?_ Why do you decide _now_ to tell me! W-who would do that? _Why_ would they..?" she trailed off.

"We don't know who is doing it or why." Anakin said. "And well, I didn't want to tell you earlier because...well, I was hoping the council could sort this out, but it's becoming a real problem. Fast, so I want to tell you because..."

"Something's come up." Darn, Anakin was starting to get tired of her doing that all the time.

"Ahsoka," Anakin put his hand on her shoulder, she could feel how much he didn't want to her what he was about to. "Barriss, was taken."

"What?" She cried. Her voice was just above a whisper-if even that. "Barriss?" she was shaking like she was cold even though the room was relatively warm. She cried into his robe, and he waited for her to calm down.

"Shh, I'm sorry, but they'll have to find her and all the other padawans" Anakin tried to reassure her. "Besides all the padawans that were taken were older than you, so maybe- "

"_All_ the padawans are older than me!" She cried out. Her pillow was flung against the wall in a burst of frustrated energy. She stopped suddenly embarrassed by her sudden outburst.

"Well I just hope they sort this out, since Barriss and you are friends I just wanted you to know is all." Anakin sat beside her for a while.

"I'm really sorry, Ahsoka"

"I know," she took a deep breath to calm herself. "it's okay."

"Are you going to get _any_ sleep tonight?" Anakin laughed.

"Maybe, but I was having trouble resting before you came, I could sense something and it was bugging me. This can't make it any worse." She sighed and leaned against the wall.

"Well, Rex was in the mess last time I saw him." Anakin said shrugging, Ahsoka shot him a grateful smile and stretched a moment before walking out of her room. Anakin stood up and walked out after her.

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"Hey, Kid I thought Skywalker said you were resting? Couldn't sleep?" Rex greeted her, well _someone_ was in a good mood, still something about this made her smile, for some reason whenever her days were bad he, or Skyguy sometimes, could always make her smile.

"Hey, Rex." Ahsoka laughed as she sat down beside him, a few other clones were sitting in the mess at different tables, but for the most part they were-almost alone.

"So, what's bothering you?"

"Nothing!" Ahsoka said, but her voice changed pitch and was too high. She took, a breath. "I mean what makes you think something's bothering me?"

"Well it was just a guess since you couldn't sleep, you're not the type to get insomnia really so, what?"

"You know me too well," She lightly punched his shoulder, and then she turned serious. "Well…it's…uh..Barrisswastaken." She said quickly Rex raised an eyebrow.

"Could you repeat that?"

"Barriss, was captured." He frowned.

"I'm sorry." He was serious now too. He put a hand on her shoulder.

Ahsoka shook her head, "No it's not your fault, it's fine-" Suddenly her comlink went off.

"Ahsoka, if you can get Rex if you can't get to the bridge, we've got a situation." Anakin cut the transmission. Ahsoka and Rex looked at each other.

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**And-I got tired, sorry everyone has limits and I know how long you guys have waited, the next one (shouldn't) take as long and (hopefully) will be longer. sorry (for) the (inconvecince)! Oh, and no one has done this yet, but don't ask when Zach will come along, just let the story flow, because when you pressure me and I don't do what you say I feel like I'm being mean, when in all reality it's my story. Oh and about the Rex and Ahsoka thing, I'm going to play to my own beat with character relationships, perhaps...manipulating them for...story purposes.(heheh!) but their just friends (at the moment) well this isn't really a Rexsoka so no crossing your fingers ya hear? No pairings that I've planned yet kay? Good now we're all caught up!**


	3. Getting ready for the mission

**Right...Again...It took me forever(in my mind) to post and DARN my chapters are too short! :( I'm sorry *hangs head* At least once summer comes I'll be able to write all day and night then I'll have no excuse! I've written up an outline and, yes, Zach Tano will come into this story and this is a sequal to 'Just a Mission'**

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"What is it master?" Ahsoka asked as she and Rex walked onto the bridge of the _Resolute. _By the looks of things they had just come out of hyperspace.

"We've got a mission." Anakin replied without looking at either of them.

"Then..Why did you make it sound like an emergency?" Ahsoka asked already turning back to walk back to the mess, they got missions all the time what was so important about this?

"Because we're landing immediately." Anakin was staring out the viewport with both hands behind his back speaking very calmly the way he was when he was trying to hide something, whether it be a feeling or idea.

Ahsoka stopped, surprised. "Where?"

"Space station, Separatist controlled." He replied curtly still staring out into space-literally.

"Well would we be going there if it was any other kind?" She laughed. Anakin turned and glared at her and she fell silent.

"I wanted to give you and Rex, a half hour warning, get the men together and meet me at the Twilight." Ahsoka sighed as her master turned and swiftly walked down the hallway. Sometimes he seemed so distant and others...Ahsoka thought of the time when she had woken up from the brain worms incident and he had been sitting there and he had calmed her down, much like a parent would calm a child. Well occasionally in his eyes she _was_ a child, sometimes he forgot. She winced mentally Barriss...How could this have happened? Ahsoka chewed her lip she hoped Barriss and the other padawans who had been captured were okay, she hoped someone found out what was going on. Well wondering about what was going on wasn't going to help, she hurried to catch up to her master.

"Sir," Rex greeted Anakin and Ahsoka as he walked up to the Twilight with about ten other clones behind him. "are we ready to go scrap some tinnies?"

"I'd say yes, we are captain." Anakin smiled as they all boarded the ship. Ahsoka darted up into the ship full of restless energy that overcame her right before a mission after they'd had a break for a while. Anakin followed more slowly talking with Rex.

"Rex," Anakin said to the clone captain "please, if something happens look out for Ahsoka."

"You're worried about whoever captured Barriss and the other padawans?"

"She told you then.."

"Actually I asked, sir, she seemed shaken up about something."

"Yeah, sometimes I think she trusts you more than me." Anakin muttered mostly to himself.

Rex didn't know what he was suppose to say to that so he sat down at one of the control panels, everyone was in the ship, and Anakin began to prep it for takeoff.

Ahsoka spun in a chair."So, anything to look out for?" Ahsoka asked her master as they began to power up the old spice freighter.

"Nope just get in get out blow it...up." Anakin trailed off as he sensed something, he couldn't make it out right now, it was like a nagging irritation at the back of his mind. _Definitely not splitting up_ he told himself.

"What?" Ahsoka asked her large blue eyes seemed to bore into him. Anakin looked away.

"It's probably nothing." Anakin shook his head. The small space station was already coming into sight he would need to focus for the coming battle. Ahsoka frowned at him then turned her gaze toward the station.

"Hey Skyguy don't worry so much." Ahsoka grinned. Anakin forced a smile but all he could think about was how so many padawans had disappeared lately. He didn't want Ahsoka to be next. They wouldn't split up. This much he had worked out in his head, if he was with her she couldn't disappear. He wouldn't let anyone take his padawan and he hoped that whoever responsible got what they deserved, a very painful death. No, that wasn't Jedi thinking. He couldn't think that, he could only do what he could and do his best to protect Ahsoka. He sighed aloud, she didn't like to be treated like a little kid though and she would probably get annoyed with him, unless what happened to Barriss had really shaken her, she looked fine, but all Jedi know how to wear a mask of apathy when they're freaking out.

"Just another mission, right?"

"Right."

"Then let's go." The ship landed in the hanger of the enemy space station.

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**Yep that was my little refrence to my other story, if you haven't read it you might want to, so you can keep up in later chapters for those lazy ones of you Zach Tano mentioned above is Ahsoka's older brother who used to be a bounty hunter then..Well it's a long story so why don't you read it?**


	4. Spliting up

**So sorry about the wait, I was gone with relatives for a few days and truly I had planned to get this up Friday, and then my grandparent's didn't have internet and I'm sorry! anyway the next chapter WILL for REAL come SOON I promise! I promise this time! I, Zany, will post the next chapter within the next three days or less or, I have died.**

"Master!"

"No."

"Please, come on! This is stupid!"

"No, there is no way I'm going to split up."

"You know it would be more effective."

Anakin glared ahead as he walked. "No, Ahsoka." he sighed. "We're not splitting up, now drop the subject!" Ahsoka crossed her arms over her chest and sulked as she walked beside Anakin. The clones knew better than to interfere when they had their 'talks' but a few had begun to worry about being detected by the enemy. Ahsoka made a 'humph' sound and turned away from Anakin as if she was purposefully ignoring him. The gesture was silly and childish almost, and especially odd for the atmosphere of battle that had begun to settle on the clones. Rex knew it would be more effective to split up like Ahsoka had suggested, but he didn't dare voice this. Besides it was obvious that Skywalker knew this too, he just wanted to protect Ahsoka; it was obvious that she knew this as well. On the other hand she hated to be treated like a child. Rex sighed sometimes she acted as if her calling in life was not to be a Jedi, but a nuisance to her master, just like any other kid or teen in the whole galaxy there were millions of them. Ahsoka wasn't any kid in the whole galaxy though, Rex had known this from the moment he met her; it wasn't just the fact that she was a Jedi that set her apart, there was something else, that Rex couldn't quiet-he noticed she had a look on her face that said, she was going to argue with Skywalker again, he decided to quickly intervene.

"Skywalker, I don't mean to interrupt, but maybe we should be a little quieter." Rex said, effectively cutting off whatever Ahsoka had been about to say to Skywalker. The other clones knew Rex would be the only one who could look a Jedi General dead in the eye and tell them they were wrong-not that they ever were-and his men respected him for that, Ahsoka did too. Anakin mouthed the words 'thanks' as Ahsoka sighed and he could tell now she really was going to quit arguing with him.

They walked deeper into the station, strangely not finding any droids. They continued slightly unnerved."R2 plug in here." Anakin said to the little droid R2 gave a happy chirp and pulled up a layout of the station. Anakin began explaining what they would do to a squad of roughly ten clones, Rex, and Ahsoka. Anakin looked up from his briefing.

"Any questions?"

"No, sir!" The clones shouted. Anakin glanced around at the group Rex, the clones-where was Ahsoka? He felt his heart race and glanced over his shoulder to see if she was behind him, no. he motioned Rex over quickly not wanting to cause a panic, even though he wanted to scream his head off.

"Rex, where did Ahsoka go?" Anakin said trying to keep the panic out of his voice as best he could. The clone captain glanced around quickly.

"…I don't know, sir." Rex frowned inside his helmet how could she have disappeared right in front of them…unless they had a traitor in their midst. Rex took a head count silently, all the clones were there. "Should, we try to contact her over our coms, sir?"

Anakin clenched and unclenched his fists and took a deep breath. "Ok." He said slowly letting the breath out.

Ahsoka crouched down carefully peering over a large cargo box, which she had been hiding behind. There were a few droids standing about, but she could easily take them so they weren't a problem. Her com chirped quietly and she answered. _I'm in so much trouble_ she thought to herself.

"Ahsoka where are you? Are you alright?" Anakin's voice came over the comlink.

"I'm fine." She whispered into the com, she glanced back at the droids but they seemed preoccupied with whatever they were doing.

"If you're fine then where are you?" Ahsoka bit her lip thinking up an answer for her master. She could hear Anakin groan on the other end of the comlink as he realized what had really happened. "Did you sneak off, just to get on my nerves?"

"I'm sorry." She muttered bracing herself for a lecture via her comlink.

Anakin sighed. "Fine, fine if you get into trouble com me, yes I knew splitting up would work better, but next time try listing to me, Snips I do have reasons for not wanting to split up." The comlink chirped off and Ahsoka blinked in surprise for getting off so easily. Ahsoka turned to see if the droids were still there, but they weren't she frowned and stood up, looking around. Where had they gone? She grabbed her lightsaber and turned it on.

"Fighting would be futile." A metallic voice said behind her. She turned to see a tactical droid standing there.

"Oh, yeah? Why's that metal-head?" She asked preparing to slice the annoying droid to ribbons in a few seconds. It seemed to stop, not knowing what to do next, so she did slice it to ribbons. The few remaining battle droids opened blaster fire on her and she easily blocked it and dispatched the droids. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly feeling her heart eventually slow down and her muscles eventually relax. She stood up and looked around.

Suddenly she felt something cover her mouth and nose, she couldn't breathe. She tried to turn and see her attacker, but whoever it was held her with an iron grip. She couldn't scream, struggling she tried to reach her comlink, but as soon as she could just barely touch the controls another cruel hand grabbed it and crushed it. She let out a muffled scream.

"That's right, padawan scream all you want you'll only waste your air." The voice was coming from whoever was holding her. She kicked furiously trying to twist away from her attack, to no avail. Her foot made contact with something and she was pleased to her a hard grunt of pain from one of her captors.

"This one won't go down!"

"Shut up, and get the tranquilizer already before my ribs break!" Ahsoka twisted and squirmed so they would have trouble sticking her with a needle, but her vision was filled with red dots and the world swayed furiously. Her lungs burned begging for air and her arms felt heavy and wouldn't obey her commands to kick and break free. Then just as she a prick and her limbs felt like lead. The arms released her and she fell to the ground. _Master…_ Then the darkness took her completely.


	5. Memories

**Oh, MAN my brain is fried! *sigh* I'm glad I could acually do it though, and WOW that was faster than the other chapters! And longer! You know what this means! My writers block is compleatly gone! (I had just a little of it that came and went at inconvenit intervals hence the short chapters that took forever to post) I"m better now! Anyway**** here is the next chapter as promised, I"ll try my best to get them up reguarly now. This is what (some of you anyway) have been waiting for Zach is back into my stories, and we'll learn some more about his and Ahsoka's past(my idea of what happened) I don't want to give too much away, so reveiw, read, and enjoy! Wait-no read,_ then _reveiw and enjoy! Ummm..wait *mutters for a moment* Read, enjoy, review? Ahh, well...Just do that in whatever order is easiest!**

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Zach was sitting on a step outside of a large cream colored building, he was on Alderaan. After he got out of the bounty hunting business he traveled the galaxy, earning a few credits here and there doing odd jobs and earning tips from playing, he spent many hours learning new ones and he was finally enjoying life. Alderaan was a beautiful place and he had been thinking about getting a home there or perhaps going to Shili to see if his parents were still alive. He leaned against the side of the cream colored stone, yeah he wanted to see them, to tell them sorry-not that it would make a scrap of difference for acting rebellious and stupid for eleven years and wasting three of those years on backwater planets being scum and taking bounties.

"Hey." He tapped one of his buddies whom he had been a roommate with for the past two months with on the shoulder. "I'm gone." His roommate nodded and yawned.

"Off the planet, or heading home?" Home that's how he had begun to think of it as, truth be told he wanted to stay, but he wanted to see the galaxy more.

"Got places to go people to see, I'll come back if I can though."

His roommate shrugged. "Okay, you know where I am, you're always welcome to come back."

"Thanks. For everything, I'll remember you even if I don't come back." Zach stood and took off down the street, yes Alderaan was a nice place he would have to come back someday. He had settled in a city by the snow capped mountains in the late afternoon sun their pure white peaks were peach colored. His friend and he had hiked there just last week, and he just got up and left on a whim. It seemed a little insensitive, but like he had told his friend, places to go people to see.

As soon as he told the Jedi he was going to change his life, he had been wanting to go home and see his parents tell them all about what he had been doing-well, no, not _all_ about. But he wanted to tell them that he was changed he wanted to shout it for the entire galaxy to hear from Coruscant to Tatooine. Another thing he was eager to tell his parents was that during his last bounty-as in the very last bounty he would ever take-he had gotten to see his younger sister whom he hadn't seen for years: Ahsoka Tano. He was certain they would be happy to hear that she was fine and well, and that she had been promoted early, and was the padawan of the Republic war hero Anakin Skywalker.

He landed the ship near the old village he grew up in; it still looked very much the same. A memory that he had suppressed until recently flashed in his head. Vivid as the day it had happened.

"Help!" He cried his lungs filling with smoke and ash. "Anybody!" He coughed. The blaze lit the sky turning night into day. Zach, ten years old, didn't know where his parents were, and he was scared. Suddenly a voice came behind him.

"_Koh-toh-yah _young one,what is wrong?" Zach turned to see a Kel Dor Jedi standing there. Zach knew the Jedi must've been sent to find his sister, but he was too desperate to be bitter about it at the moment.

"Our house caught fire! My sister's in there I know where she is but I can't get her out you have to help me Master Jedi! Please!" Zach cried pulling at the Jedi's robes. The Kel Dor nodded and quickly followed Zach to the house. A burning beam crashed down in front of them but the Kel Dor pushed it aside using the Force with ease.

"Ahsoka!" Zach cried leaping over the burning furniture and fallen rafter beams. "Ahsoka!" The Kel Dor was behind him, not seeming to be bothered by the suffocating fire. He heard a growl and his blood froze in its veins, an Akul beast was pacing near a corner blocked almost entirely by the burning debris. Suddenly it lunged getting its head stuck in one of the openings, Zach couldn't breathe and he didn't dare yell and startle the beast, but his sister was behind there.

"Mommy! Daddy! Zach! Help!" He heard his sister's shrill voice cry. The Kel Dor stepped in activating his lightsaber.

"Stand back." He told Zach putting a hand on his shoulder. The Akul roared and turned its savage yellow eyes toward the Kel Dor. It struggled out of the burning prison as the Jedi distracted it, Zach couldn't help it he ran to Ahsoka who was crawling out of the space the Akul had created. Suddenly she sat up and her large blue eyes grew round.

"Zach!" She screamed, he turned and saw the Akul charging at him. He closed his eyes and threw himself toward it, if he had to die so be it, that _thing_ wasn't going to touch Ahsoka, his three year old sister.

"No! Zach!" His sister screamed, she raised her hand, instinctively almost, and brought it down a large rafter crashed onto the Akul, Zach blinked through the hazy smoke, and it was dead. "Zach." she sobbed clinging to him "Where's mommy and daddy?" The Kel Dor walked up to them and paused looking at Ahsoka.

"We have to get out of here." He picked up Ahsoka and he and Zach went through the fiery maze until they were out in the cool night air again. Zach coughed his lungs out sucking in air like a fish, then all his air was forced right back out of his chest as his mother ran to embrace him.

"Zach! Ahsoka! Oh, thank goodness you're both alright!" She turned to him. "You gave me a heart attack going back in there, what were you thinking? Are you hurt did you get burned?"

"I'm fine mom." Zach coughed. The Kel Dor Jedi behind them cleared his throat.

"Oh, thank you, thank you Master Jedi! You saved my children!" Zach opened his mouth to speak but the Jedi spoke for him.

"I only helped a little, your son found his sister and I hardly got to do anything." The Jedi laughed. Then he turned to Zach. "Koh-toh-yah, my name is Plo Koon." Zach shook his hand. "You were very brave helping me find your sister, what is your name?"

"Zach Tano. Thank you, sir."

"Your sister is Force-sensitive, Zach."

"Yeah, that's why you were here in the first place isn't it?" Zach replied harsher than he had intended.

"I'm afraid to say, that would be correct, however I am glad to help in any way that I can, does your family need anything?" Zach stared at him holding in his anger, he wished that the Jedi didn't have to take his sister, she was too young, but his family could hardly afford to feed him and his parents. He realized he was holding his breath when his lungs started burning. He didn't gasp for air, but subtly breathed deeply until the burning sensation went away. He turned and walked away seething in anger at the Jedi.

"Your daughter is very Force sensitive, even untrained she brought down an Akul." Plo said to his mother. His mother gasped.

"An _Akul_?" She shook Zach's shoulder. "You went back into the house when an Akul was there?" He numbly looked at her not saying anything. His heart was blackened in the smoke of that fire, it wasn't fair why did his sister have to go off and be a Jedi when he and his parents were stuck on Shili? Why did the Jedi forbid attachment, if they didn't she would be able to call home.

Zach sank out of the vision and back to the present a bird flew overhead, the sky was bright blue, the summer air was warm. He saw his old home near the edge of town, and the rebuilt home in the distance. he walked on foot parking his new ship in town. He knocked on the door.

"Hello?" An older couple came out. The women looked Zach up and down then her eyes widened.

"Zach?" He walked in.

"Hey, Mom, Dad." He smiled sheepishly. "How are you?" He asked as if he hadn't scared them to death by running away, and hadn't been hunting bounties for the past three years. They stood with their mouths open simply shocked. They sat down and motioned for him to sit down with them. Gradually he told them his story as if they were strangers and not his parents. He apologized for running away and doing the things he had done.

"And after all that what makes you think you can just waltz in here like nothing happen-" Zach raised his hand interrupting his father.

"I'm not finished yet." Zach began to explain his last bounty. His mother gasped interrupting him again.

"Why were you hunting Jedi? How could you? Your sister-our daughter-is a-"

"I know, Mom, it was hard but by then I had been suppressing memories for so long I could hardly remember. So then after we had set the trap for the Jedi, they came Bane had Skywalker and I was going to take out any reinforcements he might have. I cornered his padawan and-" His voice caught remembering vividly now, memories had been so vivid after he had allowed himself to remember. Now they were sharp and had teeth, pulling at him making him question his sanity with each passing day. Travelling helped but sometimes he would see something and it would trigger. They were like visions he could feel and taste. Twice now he suspected that he had a few more Midi-chlorians* in his blood than first thought. The scene played over in his mind…

Zach crept behind the Jedi almost surprised she hadn't turned around yet he readied himself and counted in his head. One...two...three... Suddenly the young Jedi girl whirled around eyes wide and activated her lightsaber. Zach felt adrenaline being dumped into his veins at the sight of the weapon She quickly knocked his vibroblade from his hands-just like he wanted her too. He pushed a button on his new wrist gauntlet Bane had let him borrow and fired a razor net* at her. She gave a sharp cry of surprise and pain as she fell to the floor. Instantly she began struggling the wires cut into her skin making her bleed covering her with scratches she screamed in agony and struggled harder. Zach turned away for a moment. This...torture was cruel this wasn't him this was Bane's idea but this was painful for him to see a child like this, subdued and vulnerable. He turned back to her the sounds of struggling and gone he reached for his vibroblade to put the little Jedi-she sounded very young from her voice-out of her misery the girl was in enough pain. Then he looked at her-which was a mistake. She was staring right at him like some angle of death covered in scratches and blood, but her expression was strangely calm just watching him, not afraid like Zach had expected that alone was unnerving, but that wasn't what stopped him. Zach felt his blood run ice cold his eyes widened in disbelief he shook violently, and he heard the sound of a vibroblade hitting the ground, he realized he had dropped it in his shock but that wasn't important now. He blinked to be sure his mind wasn't playing a trick on him then he opened his mouth and closed it unsure of what to say. Then he slowly sank down to his knees, she began to struggle again as he drew closer. He raised his empty hands as if to show her he meant no harm. She stopped and waited for him to say something.

Zach snapped out of the memory and shook himself. Then his parents let him explain. When he told them he was going to turn his back on bounty hunting they gave sighs of relief. More stories were exchanged and afternoon became night. They offered to let him stay which he gladly accepted. For the first time in eleven years he had dinner with his family. He lay down in an old spare bed. He was asleep instantly. He opened his eyes when it was still dark, what had woke him up? He heard the quiet chirping of a comlink. He rolled over and grabbed his comlink. But it was silent. He looked at his jacket on the floor the sound of a chirping comlink still buzzing in the air. If it wasn't his personal comlink then… Quickly he grabbed the comlink the Republic had given him after he had left the Jedi temple.

"Zach, Tano come in." A voice said.

"I'm here." He breathed as he grabbed the comlink.

"It's time to make good on your promise to help the Republic if needed." The voice sounded familiar, Zach thought.

"Ok, I'll bite, what's wrong? What do you need me to do?"

"…We need you to help us find something." The voice paused. "I'll let General Skywalker fill you in on the rest." Admiral Yularran! That was who it was he had never met him in person, but had briefly heard him while hiding in the hanger of the Resolute. Then Anakin's voice came over the comlink.

"Recently…padawans have been captured." Anakin spoke slowly. Zach raked his brain, that was what a Jedi apprentice was called, right? His stomach knotted at the realization. "We don't know who would do such a thing or why, but we're fairly certain they haven't been killed, otherwise whoever was taking them would simply," Anakin's voice broke a little, but it could have been the static. "Leave the bodies."

Zach felt his throat tighten. "So, you want me to find where they're being held?"

"Yes." Now he was certain Anakin's voice had broken he whispered the next statement. "And…They took Ahsoka."

* * *

**Funfact-if you read that memory of Zach when he was thinking about the mission where he attacked his sister it's an exact copy/paste from my last story with him in it. If you haven't read it now's the time to get caught up on the before and after of that scene and get a fuller picture for the upcomming chapters! *wink wink***

**Notes,**

**Sources: Wookiepedia; My brain**

***Midi-chlorians: intelligent microscopic life forms that lived symbiotically inside the cells of all living things. When present in sufficient numbers, they could allow their symbiont to detect the pervasive energy field known as the Force. Midi-chlorian counts were linked to potential in the Force, ranging from normal Human levels of 2,500 per cell to the much higher levels of Jedi. The highest known midi-chlorian count belonged to the Jedi Anakin Skywalker (over 20,000 per cell), who was believed to have been conceived by the midi-chlorians. Breakdown, Avarage: 2,000; Mild Force sensitivity: 5,000; Jedi: 10,000+; Anakin Skywalker: 20,000**

***Razor net: ****vicious weapon used by particularly cruel bounty hunters to trap and restrain their targets. Made from strong cord embedded with razor-sharp barbs, the net inflicted wounds whenever the target moved against the barbs. This painful cutting also served as a deterrent to escape attempts. I thought it was cool so I had Zach use one.(on..his sister...okay that was a bad move perhaps, but still I really wanted to use one and it fit the story anyway)**


	6. Captured

**Okay I had to make a few more OCs in this chapter. Sorry for the delay(this has been the story of delays it seems) I broke my ankle. (I am NOT going to compete in another sack race for a loong while is all I'm saying.) and now, enjoy! ^_^ **

* * *

Ahsoka felt the hard ground beneath her and sat up slowly. She was stiff as though she had been laying there for a long time, perhaps she had. She felt a hand help her sit up. She blinked slowly letting her eyes adjust to the gloom. She saw Barriss sitting there with a sad half smile on her face, deep royal blue eyes sparkling with concern.

"Are you alright?" Her friend asked.

"Just a little stiff" Ahsoka tried to manage a smile, but failed and grimaced. She looked around the dark cell Barriss was sitting next to her on the ice cold metal ground, and there were three other padawans in the cell as well. One was asleep leaning against the cell wall, a boy human who looked a little older than Barriss, the second was a Twi'lek boy who looked almost as old as Anakin he was glancing at Ahsoka and Barriss, and the third was a human girl about seventeen sitting cross-legged in the corner with her eyes closed. The Twi'lek boy smiled at them and offered his hand to Ahsoka.

"I'm Zayne Gerik." He laughed a little. "I'm almost a knight, but..." He gestured at the cell. "Too bad I guess."

"I'm Ahsoka." She smiled. Zayne nodded.

"Yes, your friend Barriss, had a fit when you were thrown in here unconscious, Skywalker's padawan huh?" He arched an eyebrow. "I heard he got a really young padawan but-" He was silenced by a warning glare from Barriss. He raised his hands in mock defeat. "Anyway, the girl over there is Zara." He gestured to the girl meditating. "She and Zeke are cousins, pretty close to the same age too." He pointed to the sleeping boy.

Zara opened her emerald eyes and came out of her trance glancing at the door to the cell. Ahsoka sensed it a second later, she couldn't quite figure out what it was, but she knew she had sensed it before. Barriss grabbed her arm and pulled her as far back into the cell as possible and Zeke woke up looking slightly alarmed. He and Zara pressed against the wall too along with Zayne. Then Ahsoka realized what it was she remembered… The dark side of the Force, she had sensed it more than once, but only on occasion. The first time was on Tatooine _on her first mission. _The second time was when she and Anakin had been rescuing children from Bane on Mustafar. Well that made sense considering the other padawans' reactions.

* * *

Dooku paused outside the door for a moment. He could sense the padawans inside like fire in the Force, as opposed to cold unfeeling darkside that coursed through him. The door swept open and he walked in, a ray shield activated behind him. All five of the padawans tensed one question haunting their minds. _Could they take Dooku down without their lightsabers?_ Dooku could sense this easily in all of their minds and smiled slightly. Would any of them be bold enough to try and strike him? He knew the slight risk at being here, but he couldn't resist seeing if any of them would attack him. A few bounty hunters had just checked in, Dooku had put a price on any Jedi padawans that could be captured and brought to him alive-actually it was Sidious's idea not his, but no matter he trusted his master's judgment. Asajj had been sent to take their prisoners and put them with the others and now Dooku wanted to see what the bounty hunters had been able to pick up. He saw the two human padawans with emerald green eyes, he first thought they were brother and sister, but listening in on the padawans had proven that they were cousins. He also saw the young Twi'lek man, Zayne, who was to be a knight soon, Sidious originally had wanted young padawans so Dooku had contacted his master who said to keep him locked up anyway, possibly kill him later. Then he saw Barriss Offee a Mirialan padawan that had been captured recently. Next to Offee he saw a very young Togruta girl with large blue eyes staring up at him with an expression that he couldn't read, he frowned at her, she was too young to be a padawan wasn't she? Yet there was something familiar almost in this little girl, he could sense it. Perhaps he had faced her master once before? No this was too much for just one encounter. He sensed her defiance, she was strong willed obviously for one so young, her confidence, she was probably headstrong and cocky, and then he sensed a slight fear of him, typical. He frowned and shook his head ever so slightly; yes he was sure he had met her before, but her name escaped him at the moment. It didn't matter anyway.

"I wanted to see the new captive; those bounty hunters are getting lazy just bringing one insignificant _youngling _to me." A glint caught in the girl's eyes, the comment had stung.

"Well _obviously_ I'm a padawan otherwise your stupid bounty hunters wouldn't have _bothered_ to bring me here." She snapped at him. Dooku was taken aback who did this little girl think she was talking back to him? Not even the almost-knight boy had talked back to him. He didn't let very much of his surprise show.

"Feisty aren't we?" Dooku said calmly. He sat down in a chair near the center of the cell. The little padawan was burning with restless energy he almost expected her to launch herself at him in a burst of fury, but a Jedi wouldn't do that. So much for that thought. She used the Force to increase her speed and launched herself at him, the other padawans followed suit and began to attack him with the Force. The two humans Force shoved him and the Twi'lek used the Force to grab his lightsaber away, Barriss and the youngling darted around him trying to distract him from the older padawans. Zayne swung the lightsaber at Dooku's head and he ducked just in time. Zara ran up and punched him hard. He grunted and fell to the floor, but he couldn't let the padawans escape on his watch.

"Ventress," He said calmly "we have a situation, would you mind coming down to the cell block?"

"I will be on my way, Master." Zeke was given the lightsaber and he began cutting near the controls while Zayne tried the Force to open the door from the inside. Dooku saw Barriss dart past him and he Force shoved her into the wall.

"Barriss!" The youngling cried she stopped at stared at her friend. He lashed out with Force lightning on the youngling. She screamed in sudden agony, and fell to the floor, but he didn't stop. He used the Force to throw the other padawans to the far wall of the cell for a moment then began electrocuting the youngling again. _Anger_ it gave him power over the Jedi, it gave him power over all life-forms. The girl continued screaming until Dooku felt a light Force push attempt to knock him off balance. It did, but only enough that his Force lighting stopped. The youngling was breathing shallow and fast, her eyes wide, she was trembling uncontrollably.

"Ahsoka!" Offee cried and she knelt by the padawan's side. She glared up at Dooku, but his action had the desired effect and the other padawans backed off a little. Dooku stood and walked out of the room. So, the bounty hunters had brought him Skywalker's _precious _little padawan, Ahsoka Tano. This was perfect.

He was going to enjoy torturing them all so much more now.

* * *

Ahsoka darted in around Dooku, suddenly he Force pushed Barriss into the far wall. She paused, which was a mistake.

"Barriss!" She cried and turned beginning to run toward her friend. Suddenly she felt as though every inch of her body was on fire, every individual cell. She collapsed to the ground screaming. She thought she heard Barriss call her name, but all that existed in that moment was the searing fire she felt. It stopped for a moment and she heard the other padawans grunt as they too were thrown against the wall of the cell. She gasped and took a moment to ask herself why he was shoving the other padawans back and only hurting her. But in the next moment the fire was back she tried to stop herself from screaming, but she succeeded for only a moment. Then it was finally over she tried to catch her breath, but her heart was racing demanding more oxygen every part of her hurt and ached from the merciless attack it was all she could do not to begin whimpering and crying, but she wouldn't let herself not in million years, not as long as she could help it anyway. The world was shaking so much she thought she might pass out, but then Ahsoka realized that she was the one shaking. She sensed Dooku leave with satisfaction, and then she sensed the other padawans and Barriss. She felt a light gentle warmth settle over her, she took a shuddering breath to steady herself. The warmth spread and the pain faded slowly, and the dots of lights that danced across her vision cleared. Blinking she slowly sat up again Barriss was sitting next to her eyes closed in brief concentration a faint bluish light surrounding her hands.

Zara helped Ahsoka up. "You're lucky Barriss is a good healer otherwise you would've been out of it for hours after that." Ahsoka just nodded groggily and rubbed her temples for a moment, before leaning up against the wall. "I'm Zara, but I think Zayne already introduced me to you."

"Yeah he did."

"Remind me to get him back later for that." She laughed.

"I'm Zeke." Her cousin introduced himself, and then glanced at Zayne.

"Yes, he introduced you too."

"Figures." He grunted and sat down. Then he gave a sideways glance at her. "Hey, does the council know about all of us being captured? You're the last one they've picked up for the time being so have they searched for us?"

"Yes, they know." Ahsoka replied. _And_ _I didn't-not until that last mission anyway_.

"And I would bet fifty credits on the fact that if they haven't sent a search party our masters will be looking for us." Zara joined in. _Yes_ Ahsoka thought, she knew her master would without a doubt in her mind. He would rip the galaxy apart for her, which she appreciated, but it also occasionally made her a little wary of her master. She knew he didn't abide by the 'no attachment' rule, she could tell when Ventress held her at lightsaber point for a perilous moment, she could tell when Rex almost got swept away in an explosion, she could even tell when he ordered R2 to get back from the battlefield whenever the little droid wandered to help them. Anakin felt things a lot, he led with his heart not his head, and however inspiring it may be-it wasn't the Jedi way. He'd be worried sick about her. At the thought she mentally winced.

"With or without the council's okay." Ahsoka muttered thinking of her master.

"Does anyone know why Dooku wants us here in the first place?" Barriss asked. They all shook their heads. "I mean why just capture us? Dooku hates the Jedi, so why not just kill us? We're padawans it's not like we have tons of vital Republic data, so there's no reason for it." She continued. "He's not trying to lure other Jedi here is he? No, he would've left a clue of some sort if he wanted to lure others. There's nothing to lead them anywhere." Barriss began to pace. She paused and thought about it for a moment. "Whatever's going on, all I know is that I have a _bad_ feeling about this." Ahsoka had been captured by Bane on few occasions to be used as a bargaining chip, but Dooku was targeting random padawans so that couldn't be it, it's not like he would come out and say 'okay end the war and we give all your padawans back' Dooku _started_ the war there was no way he'd want anything from the Republic or the Jedi...So why? Nothing was adding up.

"Well maybe they've already found out where we are, and they're coming soon." Ahsoka sighed hopefully optimistic for a moment. "_Maybe_ they'll capture Dooku and bring the war to an end." She leaned against the wall for a moment. "And maybe not." she sighed. She could feel a rising despair in the Force. Suddenly a tremor ran through the building. Everyone's head shot up sensing something. Ahsoka almost jumped in surprise though as she sensed one of the last people she had expected.

* * *

**Don't worry we'll see about that explosion soon. Most of you can guess though... But I'll warn you we're going to backtrack just a bit in the next chapter. Oh, and I like names that start with Z can you tell? sorry about all the Z names though tell me if that got on your nervers or anything...I just like Z names they sound so cool, for some reasons. (Zach, Zayne, Zara, Zeke, and even my name Zany)**


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